The Ministry of Railways has announced a 10 per cent concessions in rail tickets to Allopathic Doctors with a minimum MBBS qualification in all classes of Mail and Express trains from March 12, 2003 to render medical assistance to needy passengers during journey as well as railway accidents. The ministry has issued necessary directive to the Zonal Railways in this regard.

This follows an announcement by the Minister of Railways Shri Nitish Kumar on December 2, 2002 in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on Supplementary Demand for Grants. Accordingly, the rules contained in Indian Railway Conference Association (IRCA) Coaching Tariff No. 25, Part I has been amended to this effect.

The concessional tickets will be issued directly from the stations or reservation offices on production of an undertaking in the prescribed proforma along with a copy each of MBBS degree and Registration Certificate declaring that the doctor concerned carries with him/her emergency medical kit.

Concession will be admissible in basic Mail/Express fares of all classes. In the case of Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Jan Shatabdi group of trains, concession will be admissible in their all-inclusive fares. Concession will be admissible in single/return tickets and not in season tickets, circular journey tickets, special trains or coaches.

According to a ministry communiqué, no concession will be admissible in other charges like reservation fee and superfast surcharge. Concession will be available without any minimum distance to travel and minimum number of doctors in train. The reservation chart will indicate the berth numbers of doctors provided with concession. The Conductors/TTEs/TSs will keep a note of coach, seat and berth number of such doctors and call them to render medical assistance in case of need. The coach, seat and berth numbers of doctors will be frequently announced as feasible.

In case some doctors, travelling on concessional tickets, refuse to render medical assistance to needy passengers, the Zonal Railway concerned will, accordingly, inform Indian Medical Association for necessary action. Besides, anyone claiming false concession, will be levied penalty applicable under the rules.

The orders, together with requisite declaration for grant of concession will be kept at all stations, reservation and booking offices for supply to doctors, free of cost. This declaration has also been put in Railway's website www.indianrailways.in.